Reconcile a DTF order by matching artwork revision, physical size and copy count from the order record to the placed sheet, then to the exported production file. For a batch spanning several sheets, track the copies assigned to each TIFF and the quantity still to prepare. This gives the operator a clear answer to which files complete the order.
NestSheet provides artwork sizes, copy counts, Auto-nest and Manual layout, sheet-wide white choke and a MainTOP production TIFF. The record below is a shop procedure used alongside those controls. It is especially useful when several orders, artwork revisions or print sizes share a run.
Define the unit you are counting
A source file, a placed piece and an order line describe different things. One PNG can supply several copies; one design can be approved at several physical sizes; one customer order can span several sheets.
Choose an order-line identifier that connects the customer requirement to a specific artwork revision and size. Keep that identifier stable while preparing the batch. The filename is useful evidence, but the approved width, height and quantity complete the production instruction.
| Record item | Meaning | Example of the field to fill |
|---|---|---|
| Order reference | The sale or production request | Your existing order identifier |
| Design reference | The approved artwork | Source filename and revision |
| Print size | The physical result requested | Approved width and height |
| Required quantity | The pieces owed for this order line | Actual copy count |
| Sheet assignment | Where the copies will be produced | Sheet identifier and copies assigned |
| Export reference | The file handed to the receiving queue | Downloaded TIFF filename |
| Completion | The observed production result | Accepted quantity and remaining work |
Use the actual order data in each row. Keep a distinct row for each size so the operator can reconcile a sleeve print separately from a larger front design made from the same source.
Freeze the approved artwork revision
Put the approved transparent PNG in the production folder and retain its editable master in the artwork archive. Make the revision visible in the filename or job record. If a customer changes the design, update the record before rebuilding the sheet.
Inspect the exported PNG against the approval. Check small text, intended white areas, transparent holes and soft edges. If the source needs correction, export a new approved PNG and connect it to the correct order line.
The PNG batch checklist covers the source-to-upload review. Complete that review before multiplying a design across the layout: a correction to one source can otherwise affect many placed pieces.
Confirm sizes before assigning copies
Set the intended physical dimensions for each design. Read the resolution information at that placed size and inspect the actual artwork detail. Keep width and height in a consistent unit throughout the record and receiving queue checks.
For artwork approved at several sizes, compare each placed size against its own row. Orientation-sensitive designs also need a clear instruction before nesting. Review any rotated placements against that instruction after Auto-nest has arranged the batch.
Then assign the copy count from the order row. Record quantities by design and size, rather than relying only on the total number of pieces visible on the sheet. This makes a missing size or repeated revision easier to identify during the final check.
Choose the batch using production requirements
Combine order lines that can use the same receiving setup and material process. Keep the printer, film, intended garment or transfer requirements and completion order in view while grouping the batch.
NestSheet applies one white-choke choice to the entire sheet. If several designs share it, inspect their fine features together when choosing 0, 1 or 2 px. The small-text choke procedure gives a controlled way to compare those settings.
Set roll width, gap and margin for the production and finishing work. Auto height follows the placed artwork. Review both the occupied film and the way the cut transfers will be sorted back into their orders.
Reconcile after the layout settles
Run Auto-nest or arrange the sheet in Manual mode. When the layout is ready, compare it with the order table one row at a time.
- Identify the placed artwork and its revision.
- Confirm its physical dimensions.
- Count or otherwise verify its assigned copies.
- Review rotation against the order instruction.
- Check the outer edges, gaps and intended cutting space.
- Confirm the sheet-wide choke chosen for the batch.
- Record the sheet dimensions and identifier.
Repeat the affected checks after changing a source, size, quantity, roll width or spacing. A layout update can change where pieces sit and how much film the sheet uses. The final record should describe the sheet that will actually be exported.
Assign several sheets deliberately
When an order needs several production sheets, decide how the pieces are divided and keep a separate assignment for each sheet. Useful divisions can follow artwork size, order group, due work or the amount of film the receiving setup handles comfortably.
For each order line, use this relationship:
Required copies = copies assigned to completed production files + copies still to prepare.
Record an exported sheet only when its file is available and linked to the assignment. If you revise a sheet, mark which file is the current production version so the queue operator can choose it confidently.
| Order line | Required copies | Sheet and TIFF references | Copies assigned | Copies still to prepare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approved design and size | Order count | Actual production files | Sum across those files | Remaining count |
The manual multi-sheet guide covers ways to divide the work. Keep your quantity record open while making those decisions.
Connect the completed export to the order
Export the Production DTF preset and choose a filename that includes a useful order or batch reference. The current output is a mirrored 300 dpi TIFF with CMYK and one W1 white channel for MainTOP.
Download the ready file and record its filename beside the sheet assignment. Open it in the receiving queue and check the physical dimensions, orientation and W1 coverage. For a new setup, approve a small sample using the intended material process before releasing the full run.
After printing and finishing, record the quantity accepted for each order line. Any replacement pieces become an explicit remaining requirement. This keeps the source-to-file count separate from the quantity that has actually completed production.
Save a record the next operator can use
Archive the approved PNGs, final-size order table, downloaded TIFFs and receiving setup together. Uploaded artwork is retained in NestSheet for 90 days; ready export files have a 72-hour default download window. Collect those files while the app shows them as available.
For repeat work, start with the archived order row and confirm whether the revision, size or quantity has changed. Then repeat the affected checks. A useful production record lets the next operator identify the exact source, sheet and export used for the approved result.
Handle revisions and replacement pieces with the same record
A production batch often changes after the first layout: a quantity is revised, one artwork size changes, or a source correction arrives. Update the affected order row before preparing the next production file, then identify which earlier sheet assignment has been replaced.
| Change | Update in the record | Review on the sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Customer approves new artwork | Source revision and approval reference | Correct design, size and copies |
| Quantity changes | Required copies and remaining copies | Assigned count across current production files |
| Print size changes | The size-specific order row | Placed dimensions, resolution and layout |
| A sheet is revised | Current TIFF filename and replaced assignment | Every copy affected by the new layout |
| Replacement pieces are needed | Accepted quantity and remaining requirement | Correct revision and size for the replacement run |
Keep accepted production quantities distinct from planned quantities. An exported file describes the sheet prepared for printing. The finishing record establishes how many acceptable pieces completed the job. Connecting both records helps the operator plan replacements accurately.
Before the next shift takes over, review the current file list with the remaining quantity record. Identify the approved TIFF for each active sheet, the order lines it covers and any sources still needing action. Keep the filenames visible so the receiving operator can connect the record to the downloaded files.
For repeat orders, start from the previous approval but confirm the new requirements. A repeated design can have a different size or quantity this time. Retaining those distinctions preserves the value of the old source and sample while giving the new run its own complete production record.
References
Current controls checked 2 October 2026: nesting, white choke, Production DTF export and ready-export retrieval. The tables in this article are blank operator records to fill with the actual job data.
